Staking Commitments

            Today I happened to read the poem “Stopping By the Woods On a Snowy Evening” by Robert Frost. The poignant moment and the stillness of the atmosphere could be felt so tangibly, that I too was aroused from the jingle of the horse the poet was riding. Actually I too often do the same thing as sitting idly (not on a horse, eh) when I have loads of work to finish. Its a break moment, where just our Self is watching the stillness of the inside (might be), we are not where we are, we are miles away from reality. After this elopement of the present, we feel a bit refreshed with a bit of yearning. And again falls back to our commitment.

            Commitment is one thing, that we can’t forego. Its a mantle we have to wear from birth till death as a son/daughter, brother/sister, husband/wife/ascetic then as a father/mother/grandfather/grandmother,in profession, as a friend. Its a long list. But in real life we are not aware of this mantle, we just take it for granted. But is commitment a trivial thing? I feel its no. When Hanuman, (the ardent devotee of Lord Rama in Ramayan) committed himself to Lord Rama to bring back Sita (Rama’s wife), he accepted it with great humility and he did that insurmountable task wholeheartedly. He really took it seriously, he didn’t do it singlehandedly, requested help of his family, elders, clan and a string of commitments ensued.

            Its the same with Jesus Christ too (Bible). He too committed to save the human race from eternal death. In short Gods too have commitments and the prayers we send on a daily basis, the tears that we shed, etc..etc.. are all part and parcel of commitment. But how does it work? I have thought that it is with my sole capability, that we are fulfilling each and every commitment, but don’t you think, that I’m too boastful on that factor? I too feel the same. I would like to say a story about a demon king, who never broke his promises and fulfilled all his duties. He was a very good man, but he was proud of his achievement. It is believed that he once ruled the state of Kerala. I do not know, whether its a fact or a fiction. But anyway I’ll continue my story. His name was Mahabali. Usually in India, demons are synonym to evil, with this king as exception. One day a Brahmin boy named Vamana (an avatar of Lord Vishnu) came to Mahabli and asked for three foot of land. The king laughed and said,” Hey Brahmin, I have acres and acres of land. My kingdom is vast and my subjects are happy with my rule. You can take more than what you need from any part of the kingdom. But the Brahmin boy requested for only three foot of land. So his wish was granted. The Brahmin boy immediately started growing to become a big giant. He encompassed the whole universe in two steps and he didn’t have a place to put his third step. So the king removed his crown and knelt before the Lord and requested him to place his foot on his head. This story has two morals, one “Think Before You Leap/Commit” yourself and the second is “Pride Goes Before A Fall”.

            And just imagine if something like that happens to us, the humiliation and the hurt. Anyway, I’d rather skip the thinking part, whether I should commit or not. Do you know, why? I’m much more heart oriented than head oriented. I get a genuine feeling, whether I should commit myself and its the satisfaction part, that I like the most. Its a gift from above, which really rejuvenates our existence isn’t it? The only policy I follow, after fulfilling the commitment is “Forego the Thankyou Part”. Its not worth the strain undertaken. Its done wholeheartedly and that is genuine, its a group effort, we cannot do it singlehandedly. So we are not entitled for the thankyou, for a group service rendered. But we can include in our bio-date of life as commitments fulfilled.

              So fulfilling a commitment is in a way helps to brighten our existence and  helps to bond a relationship, which doesn’t break easily, “A Unity Above All Worldly Entanglements”.

            Bye for now and see you tomorrow.

Meena